Yesterday, Elizabeth Edwards announced that her breast cancer had spread to her bone. Further, she and her husband, John, announced that he would be continuing his pursuit of the Presidency.
I genuinely wish both the Edwards' well. It is not easy to have cancer, to have it spread to an incurable place, or to be the spouse who has to watch this happen. I'm glad that they're doing what they feel is best.
However, I have to wonder if their path is what is right for America.
Let's say that Edwards wins his nomination, and later wins the presidency. (A long shot, if you believe the current polling, but bear with me.)
This morning the Today show medical advisor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, said that a person in Edward's position had a 20-25% chance of surviving beyond 5 years. Five years is 60 months.
It is now March of 2007. Edwards wouldn't take office until January of 2009...22 months from now. Assuming that Elizabeth Edwards would be in the 75% side of the equation, and that Snyerman's numbers are correct, when her husband was inaugurated, she'd have no more than 38 months to live. This places her death in the third year of a hypothetical Edwards first term.
Is it right for America to elect a man who we have to believe will be undergoing a deep personal trauma in the middle of his Presidency? Could we expect him to fully act in our interests? How much slack could we or should we allow for him to tend to a sick wife, while the world (which will be in turmoil, I guarantee you) spins by us?
I appreciate that the Edwards both want to pursue this ambition of theirs, and even that this pursuit might somehow be theraputic for Elizabeth. However, I don't see that electing a man with a sick wife is the right thing to do.
2 comments:
Has Dr. Nancy Snyderman given up the personal ethics of Medicine in favor of profits and financial greed on the part of the network she represents?
Recent events may lead to that exact conclusion. Snyderman, Medical Editor in Chief for NBC is now appearing in numerous roles on NBC Nightly News, and the NBC Today Show, as representative of Merck & Co.,Inc., the large pharmaceutical company. Dr. Snyderman is being paid by NBC, in an attempt to legitimize and advertise drugs manufactured and distributed exclusively by Merck under guise of news or important medical information.
On three separate shows produced and aired by NBC, Dr. Nancy Snyderman has suggested that she supports the legislative mandates of states like Texas, to require vaccination against HPV. Obviously to the great financial gain of Merck, and NBC as the recipient of advertising dollars. Fortunately the Texas State Legislature has now blocked the governors order, in favor of Education, over Legislation!
Several days ago, she again supported the new Chicken Pox vaccine which is manufactured and exclusively sold by Merck. Snyderman then admitted that the vaccine actually gives no assurances against getting the Chicken Pox. This was done in a pseudo / tabloid like interview on the NBC Today Show relative to a story about Chicken Pox parties being hosted throughout the country.
As recently as March 23, 2007, Dr. Snyderman again suggests that drugs like Fosamax are appropriate in the treatment of Elizabeth Edwards cancer. All without the benefit of any examination, or consultation with her doctors. '''Fosamax''' is manufactured and sold by who else; Merck!
So, has Dr. Snyderman discredited herself? Is Snyderman guilty of Mouthpiece Malpractice ? Many seem to think so, and as such, deserves no legitimate recognition as someone we should trust to provide us with unbiased advise! Her advise now appears to be tied to the fortunes of Merck, and NBC. This is truly a tragedy in story of corporate greed in America, as we sacrifice our trusted advisors on the Alter of Profit!
2cents...
Thank you for the comment. As one of my few readers and an even rarer commenters, I do appreciate it.
However, your comment takes a tangent completely irrelevant to the point I made: Elizabeth Edwards is likely to be in her last 5 years of life. Should we elect a man who we have to assume will be in the middle of this trauma?
While Snyderman may be a less-than-pure medical reporter, your last sentence betrays your own bias.
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